Sport: Fiji football confident over NZF appeal

The Fiji Football Association is confident Oceania Football's appeals committee will rule in its favour over New Zealand's disqualification from the Olympic qualifying tournament.

The Oly-Whites were kicked out of the competition after South African-born defender, Deklan Wynne, was deemed ineligible to play in the side's semi final win over Vanuatu.

Deklan Wynne the player at the centre of an eligibility row. Photo: Photosport

Fiji went on to win the final and qualify for next year's Olympics.

Fiji Football president Rajesh Patel. Photo: Photosport

The appeals committee have heard New Zealand Football's case, and will release their decision later this month, but the President of Fiji Football, Rajesh Patel, doesn't expect the outcome to change.

"We are not worried. It won't affect us. As you see [New Zealand Football's High Performance Director] resigning and everything - it proves itself that yes they have done something and that's why he has to resign and everything - so there is something that we know that's there. The evidence speaks for itself and we are confident we will be going to Rio".

Rajesh Patel says Fiji's Olympic squad has been in camp training and hopes to go to Spain later this year for warm-up matches against club teams and the national side.